Early the next morning, after informing Yun Shuang, Shen Qingwan left the house.

Today, she was heading to the Wantong Bank to find Second Master Bai.

It seemed that the shopkeeper of Wantong Bank had already been informed of Shen Qingwan’s visit.

As soon as she mentioned that she was looking for Second Master Bai, the shopkeeper greeted her with a warm smile.

“You must be Lady Shen? Our Second Master has been expecting you. He specifically instructed us to bring you to him as soon as you arrive. He’s been waiting for you these past two days.”

Shen Qingwan nodded and followed the shopkeeper into the courtyard.

They passed through a long corridor before she was led to a side hall.

As soon as Second Master Bai heard of her arrival, he rushed out eagerly.

“Hahaha! Shen girl, you’re finally here! I’ve been waiting for you these past two days!”

Second Master Bai greeted her with great enthusiasm and immediately ordered someone to serve tea before inviting Shen Qingwan to sit down.

“I hope Second Master Bai has been well,” Shen Qingwan said, raising her eyebrows in her usual bright and confident manner.

“Ever since we parted ways, I’ve missed our days of escaping hardship together. It’s a pity that I’m getting old. Such long journeys are too much for my body to bear. Otherwise, I would have loved to travel with you all the way to Suzhou and experience the struggles of being a refugee firsthand.”

Perhaps it was because he had enjoyed too many good days in recent years, but Second Master Bai now seemed to find some value in the hardships of that journey—he had gained insights that he would never have encountered otherwise.

Shen Qingwan chuckled softly. “So, Second Master Bai, does that mean you regret not suffering enough? Your life is what us refugees dream of experiencing.”

Second Master Bai waved his hand and sighed. “It only seems glamorous on the surface. The reality is, merchants rank the lowest in society. No matter how much wealth we accumulate, without a powerful patron, we can’t protect it. The struggles of us merchants—you wouldn’t understand.”

Seeing him suddenly dispirited, Shen Qingwan couldn’t help but ask, “Has Second Master Bai encountered some trouble?”

“Sigh! The Bai family has spent decades building our business empire in the capital, but now, it seems all our efforts may end up benefiting others instead. The power struggles in the court have become fiercer than ever. The princes are fighting tooth and nail for the throne, and though this should have nothing to do with my Bai family, in the eyes of the powerful, we are nothing more than a piece of fat meat placed before their mouths—everyone wants a bite.

“In the past, to maintain good relations in the capital, our Bai family spent a fortune smoothing things over. But after all these years of painstaking efforts, in the end, we still cannot stand against the power of the imperial court.

“Now, the Third Prince is raising funds to recruit soldiers. As an imperial merchant, the Bai family not only has grain but also silver. Naturally, the Third Prince will not let us off easily. For now, he is still treating us politely, but if we refuse to cooperate, I fear that our vast family business will not survive.”

After speaking, Second Master Bai forced out a bitter smile. “Ah, forget it. There’s no point talking about these unpleasant matters. I don’t want to burden you with them.”

Shen Qingwan frowned slightly and looked at him. “If you still consider me a friend, then don’t say such things. If the Bai family is in trouble, I may not be able to do much, but I can at least discuss it with you. If Second Master Bai doesn’t mind, why not tell me the details?”

Seeing her interest, Second Master Bai did not hold back.

He explained the current situation in the capital, the state of the imperial court, and the Third Prince’s plans.

The reigning emperor had a total of eight sons, with six of them already over fifteen years old.

Although the eldest prince, Xiao Ruifeng, had reached adulthood, his weak constitution—an illness from birth—meant he could not take on the role of crown prince.

Because of this, the younger princes were all fiercely competing for the throne.

The Second Prince, Xiao Ruici, was modest and courteous, with a meticulous mind. Though he appeared to avoid competition, he had the most supporters.

However, his only disadvantage was his weak maternal family background.

If the emperor were to make him the crown prince, he would still have to worry about the Third Prince, Xiao Ruiye.

Not only was Xiao Ruiye ambitious and capable, but his mother’s family was also extremely powerful, making him seem like the natural heir to the throne.

Now that the emperor was bedridden and unable to govern, the Third Prince was in an advantageous position—his mother controlled the harem, while his grandfather held sway over the court.

All he needed to do was wait for the emperor to pass away, and then the throne would be his.

The Fourth Prince, Xiao Ruize, was steady and dignified, but he lacked the ruthlessness needed for such a battle.

Though his mother was favored by the emperor, he himself had little desire for the throne.

Unfortunately, his mother failed to see the reality of the situation and was plotting on his behalf, unintentionally putting him into the competition.

The Fifth Prince, Xiao Ruicheng, was the full-blooded younger brother of the Second Prince and was naturally loyal to him.

He had been working to support his brother’s claim to the throne.

The Sixth Prince, Xiao Ruian, was an aloof and withdrawn person who rarely socialized.

His mother was of humble origin, meaning he had no chance of competing for the throne and was, therefore, spared from the power struggle.

As for the Seventh and Eighth Princes, they were still too young to be involved in the fight.

In summary, the main contenders for the crown were the Second, Third, and possibly the Fourth Prince.

However, what made the court situation even more tense was that Prince Liang, Xiao Heng, and the King of Huainan, Lei Zhentian, were also eyeing the throne.

With border wars raging, droughts devastating the land, and natural disasters worsening the suffering of the people, the entire empire was in turmoil.

Now that the Third Prince had set his sights on the Bai family, they had no choice but to pick a side.

Rather than letting the Third Prince exploit them, they might as well take a gamble and align with the Second Prince, forcing the two to battle each other.

“If the Bai family is being targeted, then a choice must be made,” Shen Qingwan said. “Instead of letting the Third Prince take everything, you might as well pledge your loyalty to the Second Prince. With his protection, the Third Prince won’t be able to touch you so easily.”

Second Master Bai sighed again. “No matter who we support, the Bai family will still have to sacrifice a great deal of our wealth. The Second Prince may be kinder than the Third Prince, but he won’t protect us unless we offer him something valuable in return.”

Shen Qingwan understood this well.

If the Bai family wanted protection without losing everything, they needed something that would make the Second Prince willing to shield them.

After a moment of thought, she reached into her sleeve and pulled out a blueprint, handing it to Second Master Bai.

“What is this?” Second Master Bai asked curiously.

He examined the detailed drawing of a bow and arrow but could not understand its significance.

As a businessman, he knew little about weaponry.

Shen Qingwan smiled, lifted her wide sleeve, and retrieved a small, exquisitely crafted repeating crossbow.

This crossbow was something she had personally modified based on the blueprint.

Originally, she designed it for self-defense, and fortunately, her wide-sleeved outfit today had allowed her to conceal it.

When Second Master Bai saw the crossbow appear from her sleeve, he was utterly stunned.

He had not noticed it at all before.

Shen Qingwan unfolded the crossbow, loaded it with six short arrows, and aimed at a pear tree in the courtyard. With a swift movement, she fired.

A sharp whizzing sound filled the air, and in the blink of an eye, the arrows embedded themselves deeply into the tree trunk.